Why The M2 Is The Gold Standard Heavy Machine Gun | Weapons That Changed The World

Why The M2 Is The Gold Standard Heavy Machine Gun | Weapons That Changed The World | War Stories

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2 ай бұрын

Could the mighty M2 be the greatest machine gun in history? Nicknamed the "Ma Deuce", this fifty caliber American machine gun has been rocking the battlefield for over eighty years. Host Wil Willis puts this legendary weapon to the ultimate test.
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Пікірлер: 159

@Bogie3855 Ай бұрын

John Browning lives on. Just the 1911 and the Ma Deuce have saved SOOOOOOOO many servicemen and won so many battles. So amazing that this weapon is still in active service.

@alexanderkidonakis9185 Ай бұрын

It’s also killed soooooo many Not hating just saying it’s done both

@jollyjoiner3683 Ай бұрын

7@@alexanderkidonakis9185

@morgankuikka4940 Ай бұрын

@alexanderkidonakis9185 does exactly as intended, kills people in front of it, to keep safe those behind it. Its a wonderful piece of equipment, also browning himself said the browning hi power was superior to the 1911 XD

@brandondavis4306 Ай бұрын

just shows how smart john moses browning was M1911 served with the us forces for over 100 years, and the legendary MA Duece. What this doesn't tell us is that browning designed the 50 BMG round ( Browning Machine Gun)

@c.antoniojohnson7114 Ай бұрын

John Moses Browning is the greatest gunsmith of all time, from sporting firearms to weapons of war. He was a true innovator.

@rob5944 Ай бұрын

I often marvel at its longevity when I see the weapon featured in current affairs on TV.

@splitman1129 Ай бұрын

@@rob5944He isn't smart for creating weapons. A smart person would never create something to kill people.

@kevincrawford7439 Ай бұрын

They literally said JMB designed the caliber first.

@morrissands7269 Ай бұрын

A 😅😢

@ErenYeager-zf3td Ай бұрын

Let's not forget that the White Feather used the M2 as a sniper with a scope attached on it.

@kristoffermangila Ай бұрын

And showed the world that the.50 BMG round can be a very lethal sniper round.

@sidgarrett7247 Ай бұрын

Carlos Hathcock, from Guyre Springs Arkansas! Great man, great Marine and great book

@AniwayasSong Ай бұрын

Three words- Simple (To build, operate, maintain), Effective, and Reliable. Just because something is 'Old' doesn't mean it is ineffective/worthless. Many firearms designed nearly a century ago (And even older), are just as lethal now as they were then.

@child3862 Ай бұрын

Ak 47 falls in those 3 factors as well

@c.antoniojohnson7114 Ай бұрын

Some old firearms are better than their modern counterparts.

@AniwayasSong Ай бұрын

@@c.antoniojohnson7114 Also heartily agree! I'm a huge fan of the K.I.S.S. principle (Keep It Simple Stupid). Iron sights and the LESS 'Furniture' the better (In most instances). ;-)

@JeffreyTappan-bb8rr Ай бұрын

M1911A1 for example.

@JeffreyTappan-bb8rr Ай бұрын

Good enough is the enemy of perfect.

@mindelo23 Ай бұрын

M2 - If it ain't broke don't fix it.

@user-vj2wt7jh7j Ай бұрын

Carlos Hathcock even mounted a scope to an M2 and used it for taking out targets at over 2000YDS. It is capable of more accuracy than many believe. Getting good ammo was frequently the limiting factor.

@petepal55 Ай бұрын

I read a story about a trooper in 'Nam that was huge and carried a .50 into combat and hit targets at 300m. I've always wondered about that story.

@rickcs7050 Ай бұрын

2:43 A short man from Texas a Man of the wild Thrown into combat where bodies lied piled Hides his emotions his blood's running cold Just like his victories the story unfolds

@elduquecaradura1468 Ай бұрын

Bright, a white light...

@mjpraetorian4386 Ай бұрын

If there be, Any glory in waaar.

@Blackhawkveteranretired Ай бұрын

As an Infantryman(11B) turned logistician/armorer(92Y) I had a love/hate relationship with this weapon but one thing's for sure everyone of them I issued out or used on my own vehicles never failed to perform their primary function.

@robertzackrisson3863 Ай бұрын

Thank you War Stories for posting this series! It´s a personal highlight every time you upload a new session of Wil Willis awesomeness in this production. More please!

@DeaconBlu Ай бұрын

This was a fantastic series for the time. Very cool vid, for sure.

@davidgarbersr.8065 Ай бұрын

Browning museum, Ogden, Utah, very cool. If you like guns, gotta go👍

@ms.annthrope415 Ай бұрын

Been there. Not big but good exhibition of various weapons he designed and the developmental stages of each.

@ca9968 Ай бұрын

Audie Murphy was a beast with that weapon, but did you see what John Rambo did with it in Myanmar in 2008?

@edwardpate6128 Ай бұрын

Just think, the P-47 Thunderbolt had 8 of these. Talk about firepower!

@ianrotten4453 Ай бұрын

Ma Deuce is a beast, no doubt.

@lawv804 15 күн бұрын

Browning was a genius. The M2 is still in service a century later. The 1911 was in service for 75 years, and remains one of the most popular pistols in the world. His Winchester 1897 was the infamous "trench gun" that inspired every pump action shotgun after it. The BAR was a beast. He designed tje most successful lever action rifle, the first hammerless pocket .380 pistol, and the first reliable semi-auto shotgun. No one man has had more influence on firearm design than John Browning.

@behindthespotlight7983 Ай бұрын

8:00 a few Ma Deuces on full auto would’ve made that opening scene on Dog Green in Saving Private Ryan quite a bit shorter. To compare recall the hedgerows skirmish after Carentan in Episode 3 of Band of Brothers. When those Sherman’s hit the scene toward the end we see the 50’s cutting trees in half. I’ve read that certain urban combat tactics call for cutting through walls with a few dozen rounds to the point where the entire roof of a building essentially collapses and crushes the defenders

@mohammedsaysrashid3587 Ай бұрын

A wonderful documentary introduced about M2 A1 and its previously designed heavy machine gun ...what was securities Global US dominant is US superiority of atomic Arsenals and its superiority of USA atomic weapons delivery systems )...yes this US designed heavy machine gun its the best comparably to other heavy machine guns of other countries ...reliably, firepower, senstanably, and accuracy....thank you ( war stories) channel ....for sharing

@SeanDahle Ай бұрын

The M2 truly is an example of if it ain't broke don't fix it

@aurizx8079 14 күн бұрын

GOD DAMN memories, carrying the .50cal to emplace while doing Missions

@ryanwilliams4550 Ай бұрын

Fantastic, lots of room to grow with an M2 series. Please give us the sniper M1 Abrams, and the training, victories,and failures that the gunner, TC and crew. Theseweremean killing machines, and with that much love

@shadowangel3995 28 күн бұрын

I can only imagine how the Allied troops reacted to the German army firing the Maxim machine guns at them at the Somme River. When I was in basic training our sergeants snuck my bunk mate down to the defending side during a training exercise once. He had a M249 Bravo. The attackers had no idea he was down there. The entire unit was cracking up when he opened fire, with blanks.

@DankRy23 Ай бұрын

I love these weapon videos with Will Willis!! Awesome

@aaronseet2738 Ай бұрын

Perfect home defense weapon.

@romanzdenek4682 Ай бұрын

Is incredible what Mr.Browning invented without computer and all made on wooden drawing board. Today inventors can't see often real problems trough computer itself.

@J.C... Ай бұрын

Ranger AND a PJ?!? WHOA.

@robertgutheridge9672 Ай бұрын

Now I thought General Dynamics was working on and had at least prototype a three-barrel rotary minigun style 50 caliber

@johngaither9263 Ай бұрын

Designed to counter aircraft and tanks in WWI but was delivered after the war ended. By WWII it couldn't do either one of those tasks from the ground. It morphed into the ideal weapon for airplanes to use against one another. It was also the weapon of choice for "Reconnaissance by fire". A term coined to describe the practice of American armored columns to be led by jeeps and trucks hosing down structures and facilities with .50 BMG fire to see if anyone wanted to fight. Jets changed its use from planes to helicopters. Its versatility and reliability guaranteed its reputation.

@afre3398 Ай бұрын

In the M2HB you have to headspace and time your M2 every time before you fire or after you change the barrel. You can risk that a round can go off inside the gun. I guess this was the largest motivation behind the M2A1

@dnate697 Ай бұрын

Mine was the M85 tank version. When I had a sorry E-6 named ALModena I snook up from my gunner's seat to fire the M85 just so we could qualify.

@Algorithm_work_your_magic Ай бұрын

that barrel change upgrade is sweet

@ChristianIfechuku Ай бұрын

Which gun do you recommend for home defense and protection😊😊😊😊

@brennanleadbetter9708 Ай бұрын

Just shows how good of a weapon it is.

@oranaz551 Ай бұрын

Jams,over heats,barrels have a bad habit of droup, better have lots of spare s.The update did help some.All that said the M2 is about the best light armor weapon around.All in all had a love/hate thing with the Ma Duece

@CrossOfBayonne Ай бұрын

The Browning M2 was also the armament for the B-17 Flying Fortress, Each one would have 4 to 6 .50 cal machine guns on board with AA sights

@paul85039 Ай бұрын

Some B-17 had 10 to 14

@CrossOfBayonne Ай бұрын

@@paul85039 True

@isaiahbrinson3197 Ай бұрын

Make sure you drench it in clp if you don't have the correct lubricant.

@ChristianIfechuku Ай бұрын

50 caliber sniper 😊😊😊😊

@scottleft3672 Ай бұрын

cinder blocks are weak a water....try filling them with cement or at least dried compacted earth.

@muro_35 19 күн бұрын

big boys having fun with big guns! 🙂

@cameronhermann9400 Ай бұрын

Love the Dskh adjustable seat, so unexpected 😂

@ambush_akula5261 Ай бұрын

My all time favourite episode of triggers!!!!!!

@lesliefranklin1870 Ай бұрын

Note that a sniper is trained to aim for the center of mass, mainly the torso, not the head. At that caliber, both are lethal, but the torso hit is more likely.

@NINJAKNIVESTKO131 Ай бұрын

I own a ma deuce and boy its a monster of a gun

@TodaTruth 15 күн бұрын

They should make M2 Portable 🧐

@kristoffermangila Ай бұрын

The Ma Deuce. 'Nough said.

@alexhubble 21 күн бұрын

I wish I didn't enjoy this but.... dakka-dakka-dakka!

@Stargazer80able Ай бұрын

The US put the M2 on everything and its cousin. The Soviets did not. The Soviets also put forward the 14,5x114 that also were not put on very much.

@lazybear236 20 күн бұрын

The Sovs only made a small number of Dushkas, at least when compared to the vast quantity of 50 BMGs.

@garyharrall4002 22 күн бұрын

Wish he would've fired the mg42. That's a awesome machine gun

@georgebenta3435 Ай бұрын

Weapon/history documentaries these days are mostly made for entertainment, shooting at stuff with rock music in the background sprinkled with a bit of history. Old weapon documentaries like Tales of the Gun may seem boring to some and a bit dated in their presentation but packed with more information about the weapons history and development.

@cristian07696 Ай бұрын

Impresionante acá le decimos la 12.7 🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷

@prestonopp Ай бұрын

Missed a key part of the development history… it was first designed and adopted for the Navy coastal air defense as a static mount water cooled HMG and the heavy barrel variant came later.

@manhunter433 Ай бұрын

Not long after this episode aired, the light weight machine gun program was cancelled and Browning instead did a lot of quality of life improvements to the legendary machine gun.

@fengshuo2725 Ай бұрын

I think it would be better if there are less open cuts on the sides (for better reiliability and reduced demand of maintaince

@cameronsienkiewicz6364 Ай бұрын

You guys cheated using an MG-08 instead of a true maxim.. the maxim was produced in the late 19th century, the MG-08 was put out in 1908.. they are similar designs when it comes to the barrel and water jacket, but the receivers and trigger assemblies are COMPLETELY different

@tommyspann8852 Ай бұрын

I don't believe Audie Murphy disabled or destroyed any German armor with a .50 cal. I'm pretty sure it was all soldiers on foot. An M2 for all it's power, isn't a tank destroying weapon, even with AP rounds.

@farmrrick Ай бұрын

Halftracks

@ExcavationNation 18 күн бұрын

He fired on apc (half tracks) It's all well documented considering he received the freaking medal of honor 🎖

@tristanconnolly5675 Ай бұрын

Nice.

@northernohiodiecast2908 Ай бұрын

20mm Vulcan

@donovanmcvick Ай бұрын

Pick a different car to explode. Not the vintage 70s lincoln mark V 😭😭😭

@chrislong3938 Ай бұрын

About the only thing I didn't like about that gun was carrying it from the armory to my track! The main assembly has nothing but sharp corners that dig into your shoulders, and brother(!), it is heavy! So is the barrel! I was scrawny though... Other than the great fun of firing it, I liked that I could light my smokes off the barrel after a couple of hundred rounds! ;-) I never had one of these go into cookoff mode even with the barrel glowing, but I did have that happen with M-60s.

@billyrock8305 Ай бұрын

Topgun - M2 👍

@ateliervolant Ай бұрын

😱😱😱 Holtzwihr isn't in the mountains or surrounded by forest at all, it's a small village of sauerkraut growers on the Rhin plain.

@johnwiles4391 Ай бұрын

Why'd he wreck perfectly good pickles!?

@dionysusthemadgod Ай бұрын

I love the Ma Deuce, but of all vehicle mounted or crew served weapons, I prefer the Mk 19.

@stevenkostamo1279 Ай бұрын

a 7.62x39 ball round goes through cinder blocks too, but a full mag costs less than one 50 bmg round. If you are planning to show penetration cast a true 8" steel reinforced concrete wall, keep in mind we know the bunkers are much thicker. Not to mention a much better grouping can be achieved with the 7.62 39. The 50 has its purpose, but you didn't show it

@ExcavationNation 18 күн бұрын

Yap yap yap

@mohamaddanielshaffiquebroh2995 Ай бұрын

Shotgun episode please

@russellmurray8102 Ай бұрын

The British Bren gun had a barrel change system like that 80+ years ago

@evil993 Ай бұрын

Hilarious how they described such minimal and obvious changes. Like a handle for quick swapping the barrel, oh wow. So revolutionary. Lmao

@batangquiapo45 Ай бұрын

No wonder Grant Reynolds is not with Kevin in What Could Possibly Go Wrong

@willbarnett3914 Ай бұрын

.... it got rid of having to do head space and timing

@destroyerarmor2846 Ай бұрын

The Mk 19 grenade launcher is also the same mechanism invented by Browning

@kenc9236 Ай бұрын

Paint cans do not fight back - Bruce Lee

@donovanmcvick Ай бұрын

This show is awesome 🤙

@dungeonquesting8075 Ай бұрын

Wow

@snapdragon6601 Ай бұрын

Wouldn't it have been better if the US military had chosen a 20mm auto cannon instead of the .50 caliber as it's heavy machine gun? It seems like the consensus the US Army Air Corps reached after pouring over all the data after the war was that even with all those .50 caliber machine guns on the B-17s, it turned out to be completely under gunned when coming up against attacking Axis fighters like the BF-109.

@evil993 Ай бұрын

They were about equal. If you actually managed to make contact with a cannon round it was for sure gonna be sending the plane down but that was also the limiting factor. You couldn't carry as much ammo, and cannons of the time especially for example the 20mm hispano were new. It wasn't uncommon for those cannons to jam, rendering them useless until the plane landed. They also required a more complicated firing system and ammo delivery. Overall from what I've read is that .50 vs 20mm cannon they were very close in actual performance. At least as far as downing enemy aircraft goes.

@shaunn7778 Ай бұрын

John Moses Browning. Peace be upon him.

@robertalpy Ай бұрын

I still dont understand we stand why the army replaced the M1911 with a 9mm.

@JessPeters-qg1bn Ай бұрын

More ammo and less recoil. Personally I prefer the 1911. Better trigger, more accuracy. Also for the same reason it was adopted in the first place. The effectiveness of the 45 bullet on drugged up enemies

@stephengamber7000 Ай бұрын

Definitely would NOT want to get hit with a .50 cal bullet

@dennisseah9403 Ай бұрын

Recommend you watch the final battle in Rambo 2008. Realistic portrayal of the 50 cal

@stephengamber7000 Ай бұрын

$60 a round for dishka ammo - WOW

@ExcavationNation 18 күн бұрын

They actually weren't firing the actual round that dishka is made to use the .50 bmg rounds. Hence why they don't show any close ups of the ammo. It's near impossible to find that ammo. Bc it's illegal to import after a certain year.

@Conorkinsella Ай бұрын

Can you do a sniper rifle next plz

@donovanmcvick Ай бұрын

Watch the m1 garand episode of this series. They cover snipers heavily.

@coomsz Ай бұрын

This was originally a documentary on cable television that aired 12 episodes from 2011 to 2013. There is no "next"

@gowdsake7103 Ай бұрын

Not even close there are many heavy MGs that are equal or better

@RUHappyATM Ай бұрын

Is that the gun Rambo used in Burma?

@planetmikusha5898 Ай бұрын

The Browning M2 is still shredding Russian troops in Ukraine. And also on the same battlefield used by both side can be found the Soviet era DShK or Dushka dating from the 1930s and the Maxim PM M1910 dating from 1910.

@Bobbyo60 Ай бұрын

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

@general1z Ай бұрын

LOVE THAT "DISHKA" SEAT❗❗👍👍😁😁

@Homeschoolsw6 Ай бұрын

33:55

@alexanderkidonakis9185 Ай бұрын

Is that a kick stand on the tripod or is he just putting his feet there

@J.C... Ай бұрын

Using them to help stabilize the rifle. Something they figured out.

@theconversationalpainter2020 Ай бұрын

Is it an effective drone killer?

@ethankaryadi37 Ай бұрын

If the drones were low-flying and didn’t have that small of a profile. The Ma Deuce usually is supposed to be used against most ground threats like lightly armored vehicles, but it can still tackle threats like helicopters and some larger drones if they flew low enough. Then again, I have yet to see footage of a Ma Deuce gunner taking down drones.

@kenibnanak5554 Ай бұрын

Because in Ukraine warfare has reverted back to entrenched troops and mass assaults on fortified positions both sides like and use old Maxim guns made during WW2. Noting Eugene Stoner early on in the 1960s demonstrated his 5.56mm could also easily destroy the same kind of concrete cinder block wall and the .30-06 from a Browning 1919 had also been doing so for decades, perhaps a better demonstration of M2 firepower would be to either fill the voids in the blocks with concrete using a thicker wall and show a comparison, or just put up a wall 5 or 10 layers thick and see which caliber can walk through first.

@berniemorales9072 Ай бұрын

But the Russian Kord is lighter, easier to carry

@scottshanklin5533 Ай бұрын

Huh Wil were you for real ?????? Huh really hmmmmmmmmmmm okay yeah it's a 50 , it's going to go through a cinder block wall

@willbarnett3914 Ай бұрын

What was it will, were you a seal , a ranger or a green beret, sof-d

@Sam-on5yx Ай бұрын

But will it keeel?

@mindbomb9341 Ай бұрын

Hahaha. What a misrepresentation of the location of Holtzwihr, France in the Murphy story. It's right outside of the city of Colmar. Looks nothing like that terrain.

@davymckeown4577 Ай бұрын

Ffs, a strong breeze would have destroyed that sandbag structure.

@robertheinkel6225 Ай бұрын

I take you never worked with sandbags.

@davymckeown4577 Ай бұрын

@@robertheinkel6225 I have four bars to my Accumulated Campaign Service Medal, (you probably don't know what that is but you might be able to Google it) so I filled one or two.

@davymckeown4577 Ай бұрын

@@robertheinkel6225 Stick to call of duty sonny, I have four bars to my Accumulated Campaign Service Medal so to answer your question, I have filled a few sandbags. You might need to Google ACSM, I doubt if you'd know what that is.